Acetylene-generator.



No. 807,598. PATENTED DEG. 19, 1905. R. F. CARTER. AGBTYLBNE GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 No. 807,598. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

R. F. CARTER. AGETYLENE GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR 13, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

.- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD F. CARTER, OF NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA.

ACETYLENE-GENERATOR.

10 (Ll/L whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD F. CARTER. a subject of the King of England, and a resident of Niagara Falls, in the Province of Ontariov and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Acetylene- Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an acetylene-generator which is more particularly designed for feeding loose carbid from a supply-chamber into a tank containing water. Acetylenegenerators of this type as heretofore constructed have been objectionable for various reasons, particularly on account of the irregularity of the, feed and their tendency to become clogged and for the further reason that the construction was complicated and liable to get out of order very easily.

The object of this invention is to produce a carbid-feeding device for acetylene-generators of this character which is very simple and durable in construction and which will feed comparatively large or coarse carbid in quantities suitable for maintaining the required pressure.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a side elevation of an acetylene-generator equipped with my improved carbid-feeding device. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the upper portion of the generator, taken in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary vertical section at right angles to Fig. 2, the section being taken in line 4 4, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A represents the water-tank of the generator, which is provided with a suitable inlet a in its top for renewing the supply of water and also with an outlet at at its lower end for drawing off the slush or ashes from the tank due to the decomposition of the carbid which is delivered into the water. The gas generated is delivered by a pipe & from the generator-tank A into a gas-holder, which preferably consistslof a water-tank B and an inverted bell B, arranged in the water-tank in a well-known manner. The gas is drawn off from this holder and delivered to the place of consumption by a pipe 6, containing a valve 72 My improved device for feeding the carbid into the water of the tank A is constructed as follows: Orepresents a horizontal support Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Application filed April 13, 1904. Serial No. 202,910.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

or shelf arranged in the space or chamber of the generator-tank above the water and preferably supported by a cross bar or plate 0. D represents a carbid-supply chamber or receptacle arranged above the generator-tank and provided in its top with an opening through which the same is filled with carbid, which opening is normally closed by a cover d. The bottom of this carbid-holder is constructed in the form of a hopper or funnel, which extends downwardly through the top of the generator-tank and is arranged above the shelf or support, so as to deliver the carbid from the holder upon the shelf. The carbid is discharged or swept off from this shelf and delivered into the water of the genera tortank by a feeder which preferably moves horizontally over the shelf and underneath the outlet of the carbid-holder. This feeder is preferably constructed so as to rotate, and consists of a central hub E, pivoted on top of the shelf by means of a vertical pin 6, a plurality of arms or sweeps e, radiating from the hub, and an annular band or ring 0 connecting the outer ends of the arms. The feeder in its complete form resembles a wheel or spider, the-several parts of which are preferably constructed of sheet metal and the arms arranged with their flat sides vertical, so as to effectively move the carbid horizontally off the shelf. As the carbid discharges from the holder upon the shelf it successively fills the spaces or compartments formed between the arms of the feeder as the same are in turn brought over the shelf. The shelf is preferably of sufficient width so that the space between two arms is entirely closed at the bottom while the same are on opposite sides of the outlet and in position to receive carbid. By this means these arms are capable of confining on' the shelf the carbid which is being discharged upon the same from the holder while the carsweeper.

Any suitable means may be employed for ICC rotating the feeder so as to deliver the carbid into the water and maintain a generation of gas in the same measure as the gas is withdrawn from the holder for consumption. The means preferred for this purpose are shown in the drawings and consist of a horizontal shaft F, journaled in bearings on the upper part of the generator-tank; a gear-pinion f, secured to the shaft Within the upper part of the tank and meshing with a gear-wheelf, mounted on the hub of the rotary feeder; a ratchet-arm G, mounted loosely on the shaft and provided with a pawl g, which engages with a ratchet-wheel g, secured to the shaft; a rock-lever H, pivotally supported on the generator-tankor other support and having one arm connected by a link 71, with the ratchet-arm, and a tappet I, secured to the bell of the gasholder and adapted to engage with the top of the other arm of the rock-lever for operating the carbid-feeder. In order to permit of thus driving the feeder from its upper side, the hub thereof is extended upwardly some distance above the arms and the connecting-ring, as shown in Fig. 2.

When the pressure or volume of gas in the holder is-at normal, the bell is raised so as to lift its tappet from the outer arm of the rocklever, thereby permitting the latter to rise and its inner arm to descend, together with the ratchet -arm connected therewith. this movement of the rock-lever and ratchet-arm being effected by suitably proportioning or weighting these parts, so that they will assume this position by gravity. Any suitable stop device may-be employed for limiting the backward movement of this ratchet mechan- 1sm.

When the bell on the gas-holder descends below normal, its tappet engages the outer arm of the rock-lever and depresses the same, thereby causing the ratchet mechanism to turn the carbid-feeder in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, whereby more or less of the carbid in one compartment of the feeder is shoved off the shelf into the water while additional carbid is falling from the holder into the next succeeding compartment of the feeder. The carbid in any one compartment of the feeder is not always discharged at once from the shelf, but only so much as is necessary to maintain the proper pressure in the holder. At times the feeding movement of the feeder may stop when a considerable portion of the carbid in the advancing compartment is still resting on the shelf while the next following compartment is being filled, as shown in Fig. 4. By this means it is possible to regulate the feed of carbid with great nicety, thereby avoiding the marked fluctuations in the pressure of the gas which invariably occur when large amounts of carbid are discharged into the water at long intervals.

In order to reduce the dead-air space in the upper part of the generator-tank which contains the carbid-feeding mechanism, this part of the generator-tank is constructed to form a reduced chamber which fits comparatively close to the several parts of the feeder. For this purpose the upper part of the generatortank is provided with a reduced part, the cylindrical wall 3' of which is arranged close to the periphery of the feeder-ring, and acylindrical hood J of still smaller diameter, which fits comparatively close over the hub and is connected with the wall 1' by a horizontal deck as shown in Fig. 2.

My improved feeding device permits of feeding comparatively coarse or lump carbid in regular and'measured quantities, which has been diflicult of accomplishment heretofore. A great economy is thus effected by the use of coarse or lump carbid, as the same is not only cheaper, but does not require grinding or pulverizing. Furthermore, lump carbid is less liable to slaken while being handled in the open air, and by its use in. the generator there is also no appreciable after-generation of gas, thus avoiding the loss incident to the use of powdered carbid.

I claim as my invention An acetylene-generator comprising a waterchamber a contracted cylindrical feed-chain' ber, above the water-chamber and a cylindrical hood of still smaller diameter'above the feed-chamber, a horizontal shelf extending across the lower part of said feed-chamber and leaving clear spaces on opposite sides of said shelf whereby communication is. established between the water-chamber and feed-chamber, a rotary carbid-feeder having ahub. which is pivoted on said shelf and extends upwardly into said hood, a plurality of radial arms which sweep over said shelf, and a rim arranged close to the inner side of said feed.- chamber and connecting the outerends of said arms, an actuating-shaft extendinghorizon-- tally through the upper part of said hood, gearing connecting the inner end of the shaft with the upper end of said hub, means for actuating said shaft operatively connected with the outer end thereof, and a carbid-supply hopper having its outlet opening into said feed-chamber above said arms and shelf, substantially as set forth. 1

Witness my hand this 19th day of March, 1904:.

RICHARD F. CARTER.

Witnesses:

ANNIE V. MULLIN, CHARLES J. ELDERFIELD. 

